Posted on 12/01/2012 3:28:19 PM PST by dirtboy
“So, guys, how are things now?”
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Well, it is the calm before the storm.
We normally have some breeze, but this evening you could
feel a fly’s wings.....dead calm here, and mostly clear.
We still have a day to wait.
Track still shows it clipping the south end of Cebu.
Hopefully Mindanao will tame it a bit.
Won't make landfall for another 10 hours or so...
Won't make landfall for another 10 hours or so...
Looks like cat 5 on the satellite loop bearing down on the Philippines. Almost perfect symmetry in the storm and the eye, must be 150G200. It will flatten everything for 40-50 miles to the north of the eye and a lot of damage elsewhere.
This is an Andrew-type storm. Small but very strong windfield that should hold together well inland into Mindanao where the population is. Hope they have good sturdy shelters.
Colorado State estimates the storm is now up to 160 mph sustained, or Cat 5.
“Bopha (Pablo) is now considered an extremely catastrophic Category 5 Super Typhoon with winds of 260 km/hr...and could become the worst typhoon ever to hit Mindanao since Super Typhoon Kate (Titang) of October 1970. Its core is now approaching the coast of Surigao Del Sur and Davao Oriental. Possible Time of Landfall: between 4-6 am somewhere along Cateel Bay, Davao Oriental.
Important Note: Super Typhoon Bopha (Pablo) is almost three times the strength of Tropical Storm Washi (Sendong) which crossed North-Central Mindanao on December 16, 2011. Please take all precautionary measures on this dangerous cyclone.”
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After enjoying a clear evening before dark, the air was so still it was strange.
During this early morning there was a rain shower, but still very calm...truly the calm before the storm.
Storm is expected to pass over Dumaguete, south of us, where we do most shopping and banking.
Will keep all posted, as long as we have power and internet, and unless we have to evacuate to high ground.
Fortunately, high elevations are not far from our beach.
It was Joan. I later flew into it just before it hit PI. While most penetrations were fairly easy, Joan had rapidly intensified during the night and provided an extreme ride thru the wall cloud. G forces on the old 130 exceeded specs but she held together to provide one of the most awesome sights I ever had. A perfect eye, classic stadium effect. The water beneath the wall cloud was just white churning foam indicating winds >150 kts. As I recall we made two dropsonde readings to verify a SLP of 895-900 mb. Close to the world record at that time. After returning to Guam we had to take te aircraft back to Georgia for structural inspection and repair. Oct 13, 1970, a day ill never forget.
Hey, your flight is in Wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Joan_(1970)
An aerial reconnaissance crew (similar to Hurricane Hunters) sent to investigate Joan on October 13 encountered severe turbulence and a g-force reading of 2.5 gs[1] as the storm was at its peak. The readings sent back put Joan with 150 knot (280 km/h or 175 mph) winds and a minimum central pressure of 905 mb.
Storm Report?
All is OK now. Sky is clear to scattered.
Power was out from 5 PM last night till an hour ago, 10 AM.
Little damage here...
Glad to hear you made it thru the storm unscathed.
How are you doing and how are your new kittens doing along with the Mama cat?
How’d you do? The situation in Mindano is terrible...
Oh, glad to see you got through it ok, AlexW. Meant that prev. post mostly for Doofer...
Just some rain here in Metro Cebu City.
Well, I still agree with you and I at least still welcome you! Hope you can post an update at some point...
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